Sarah vs the Change
by TurningTrees
Summary: Set post Season 2. Sarah is in for a surprise when Chuck returns from spy school.


A/N: Hey hey hey! This is my first fanfic ever so I'm really nervous and excited about it. I came up with this after listening to "Sky", by Joshua Radin about a million times. This is un-betaed (sorry) and therefore more than likely a chock full of mistakes and whatnot, but I hope you find at least some part of it to be enjoyable.

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Chuck, but if I did…oh what larks I would have!

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Sarah stood at the airport terminal fidgeting nervously as she scanned the faces in a crowd of newly arrived passengers. A part of her was eager to see Chuck again, especially since their last meeting had ended on a less than happy note. Upon discovering that Chuck had thrown himself back into the spy world and been re-Intersected, Sarah proceeded to distance herself from him as much as the cover would allow. Casey had probably said more words to him than she had. The night before he left for Langley, Chuck came to her hotel with flowers and an olive-less pizza, begging her to talk to him. When he finally left, the pizza had become as cold and hard as her heart. Not even the M&M's on the pie that spelled out "I'm sorry" could mitigate her bitter anger.

_I guess absence does make the heart grow fonder_, she mused. Still, there was a nagging fear in the back of her mind that perhaps three months of spy school had changed her lovable computer nerd.

"Sarah?" His voice, just as soft and kind as she remembered, startled her from her reverie and she whirled around.

"Chuck…" she breathed. Her eyes quickly swept over his body. Gone were the unruly curls on his head that made funny animal shapes. From the looks of his hand-tailored suit, it appeared that the CIA and NSA had decided that it would be appropriate to splurge a little on their new super agent. His usual worn-out Converses had been replaced with shiny, black leather dress shoes. He was smiling, but seemed a bit reserved, a bit wary. Of course he would be. The last time he'd seen her, she had thrown a shoe at his head and yelled at him to leave her the hell alone.

Attempting to ease the tension, she drew him in for hug. He hesitated for a moment, then relaxed and wrapped his arms around her lithe frame. _God, he feels so strong._ Closing her eyes, Sarah buried her face in his jacket and inhaled deeply. It smelled of airplane peanuts and Chuck and…was that a hint of cologne? Just another item to add to the list of things that had changed about Chuck Bartowski. She swallowed hard and pulled out of his warm embrace.

"Ready to go? Ellie's throwing a big welcome home party for you."

"Oh. Yeah, OK." She missed the fleeting look of disappointment that flashed across his face as he turned to gather his bags.

**X X X X**

They'd been driving in silence for the past thirty minutes. Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah noticed Chuck glancing furtively at her every so often. Once she saw him open his mouth as if he was about to say something, but then reconsidered and promptly shut it.

_The brass would be getting a good laugh if they were watching_, she thought. _Two well-trained agents can't even start a small conversation in the car._

When the Woodcomb's apartment complex came into view, Sarah wondered briefly if anyone else would notice the changes in Chuck. "Seven o'clock on the dot," she remarked as she pulled the key out of the ignition. Her voice sounded loud and strange in the small, quiet confines of the car. "Right on time –"

"Sarah Walker, did you steal my brain key chain while I was gone?" Chuck interrupted, pointing to the pink blob dangling from the keys in her hand, a grin slowly stretching across his face.

"I, um…" The words caught in her throat. _I needed something to remember the old you by_.

He looked at her expectantly.

"We should really go in," she said hastily and moved to unbuckle her seat belt. "Ellie misses you a lot. And of course Morgan does, too."

"What about you?" he asked, leaning over to take her hands into his.

She stared down at her lap in silence.

"Sarah," he pleaded. "I haven't seen you in three months and you've barely said a word to me since you picked me up from the airport. Will you please tell me what's going on?"

Sarah made the mistake of looking up at him. It only lasted a second, maybe even half, but just one glance into those warm, puppy dog eyes and she was gone. _Damn it_. She took a deep breath and licked her lips nervously. Time for the truth.

"I was going to leave the CIA for you. When we were standing there on the beach at the second wedding, I made my choice. No more missions, no more spies and covers. I realized that only you could make me truly happy. That's partly why I was so angry with you when you were leaving. I'm sorry about the shoe, by the way. I just didn't want you to go off and become some super spy. I was afraid."

"But I'm not super spy," he interjected.

"Yes, you are!" she countered, pulling her hands out of his and folding her arms across her chest in exasperation. "Don't you remember uploading a super computer into your head? Did you suddenly forget all that intense training you went through at Langley, Agent Bartowski? And you finished in three months, no less!"

His brow furrowed in confusion. "Wait, what? I didn't…Sarah, Beckman sent me back here because I was failing!"

She rolled her eyes as she stared out her window. "Righhttt."

"Even with the Intersect, I couldn't keep up with the rest," Chuck admitted. "The skills that I got from flashes didn't stay with me for long. And on top of that I couldn't flash all the time, even when they put me in these crazy situations. I needed something to help me. I needed you."

His hands cupped her face and turned her so that she faced him. "Sarah, look at me. I'm not a spy."

She gazed apprehensively into his shining sepia orbs. "You're not a spy?"

"No, ma'am," he whispered. "Just Chuck Bartowski."

Sarah's eyes flickered across his open, innocent face. There was no doubt in her mind that this Chuck, even with all the fancy additions, was still the same quirky man that she had fallen for so many months ago. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she barely noticed Chuck moving closer and closer. By the time she realized that the gap between their bodies had shrunk by a foot, his mouth was already on hers. Her fingers ran through his short hair as she pulled him closer to deepen the kiss. Sarah could feel the corners of his mouth twitching as he quietly chuckled with delight at her sudden eagerness to devour him.

When at last the oxygen in their lungs ran out and they were forced to break apart, she rested her forehead against his. "I missed you," she murmured. "I'm so beyond compromised there probably isn't even a word for it. Beckman will probably send me to another planet if she ever finds out. But I don't care."

"I've missed you, too," he replied. Chuck bent his head, intent on recapturing her lips. To his great surprise and ire, she drew back. A queer look crossed her face as she contemplated what he just said. Then Sarah wound up and punched him in the shoulder.

Chuck yelped in surprise. "Gah! Geez, what was that for?"

"You claim that you missed me. But up until a minute ago, you allowed me to think that you'd turned into James Bond! Really, what did you expect me to think when you showed up sporting that haircut, wearing a new suit, and smelling like a million bucks? I honestly don't know what I would've done if you had started speaking to me in a British accent." She stopped for a moment in her tirade to take a breath before shooting him a final question. "So, if it wasn't spy school that brought about all these fancy changes, then what did?"

He blushed and looked down, suddenly becoming very interested in his cufflinks. "Well I still had some money left over after paying for Ellie's wedding and party. I guess I kind of wanted to impress you a bit because you're….you know…you," he finished lamely.

"Oh, Chuck." She leaned back in her seat with a sigh. "What do I have to do to make you understand that you don't need to change anything about yourself to make me happy? Maybe other people will never understand what's so great about a guy who makes twelve bucks an hour at a Buy More, still lives with his sister, and is best friends with a gnome. But that guy is my hero. He's all that I'll ever need."

Chuck quirked an eyebrow at Sarah. "In that case, can I have your Porsche?"

She shot him a look. "Don't push it."

He grinned impishly and kissed her cheek. "Just for the record, I love you."

His admission wasn't really news to her. Any CIA rookie would've known from simple observation that Chuck Bartowski was no longer just crazy about Sarah Walker. Still, hearing his words sent her stomach flipping into a gymnastics floor routine worthy of the Olympics. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his, desperately trying to convey the feelings in her heart that she could not yet say aloud. _I love you too._

Several minutes had passed and they were still locked in a passionate duel of tongues. Somehow Sarah had gotten into a position where she was straddling Chuck in his seat. His hands were roaming everywhere, moving closer uncharted territory and she was seriously considering the prospect of taking him right there when suddenly, he tore his mouth from hers.

Her blue eyes narrowed and flashed dangerously. "Chu-u-ck…"

Breathlessly, he tried to explain his actions to the irate blonde. "OK, Sarah, before you say anything." She growled. "Or start impersonating Casey, just let me say this. I'd love nothing more to keep going, but we're fifteen minutes late." He pushed the car door open. "Come on, before Ellie kills us."

Sarah heaved a disgruntled huff and reluctantly clambered off his lap.

They strode arm-in-arm through the courtyard toward the Woodcomb's apartment. "So," Chuck drawled. "What was your other reason for being angry with me after I re-uploaded the Intersect?"

Sarah pouted. "You disarmed five spies with one move. ONE MOVE! I want to do that."

"Seriously?" Chuck snorted. "You were angry over tha – OW! Will you stop hitting me?"

"You better watch it, Mr. I'm-not-a-spy. Unlike you, I actually made it through spy school." Arriving at the doorstep, Sarah turned to face him, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "You don't want to find what happens when you make your spy girlfriend very angry."

He smirked. "Oh, so it's girlfriend now? I don't recall ever discussing that with you. I think someone thinks a little too highly of herself."

Chuck immediately regretted the jab when he saw the hurt expression on her face. "Hey, you know I was joking, right? I didn't really mean it. I promise."

"Good," she replied. "Because I've had enough of sharing you with brunettes. Any more unnecessary contact with brunettes and you're cut off, got it?"

He hurriedly raised his hand in a Vulcan salute. "Yes yes. Nerd's honor."

She rolled her eyes. "Dork."

"You know you love it," Chuck returned as he snaked an arm around her waist.

"That I do." She smiled up at him. A warm feeling of happiness and contentment bloomed in her chest. "That I do."

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Thanks for reading! R&R, please? I really want to know what you guys think.


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